Mop wing construction



Dec. 29, 1964 E. D. SMYTH 3,162,879

MOP WING CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ELBERT D. SMYTH ATTORNEYS Dec. 29, 1964 E. D. SMYTH 3,162,879

MOP WING CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ELBE'RT D. SMYTH A TTORIVE Y5 United States Patent 3,162,879 MOP WING CGNSTRUCTION Elbert D. Smyth, RED. 1, Hehron, Ghio Filed Aug. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 300,529 8 Claims. '(ca. 1s 147 The present invention relates generally to mop hold ers and particularly to an improved holder of the collapsible type, for use with pocketed mop fabrics which have opposed pockets on their upper surfaces.

In general, the mop holder, with which the present invention is concerned, comprises a frame means adapted to be attached to a handle, a collapsible base formed by two wing portions and a hinging means, which permits the aforementioned wing portions to be held rigidly in substantially a common plane or to be collapsed by rotation of one wing portion about said hinging means.

In accordance with the present invention, the hinging means is of novel construction so as to provide a collapsible mop holder which permits a quick and simple method of replacing soiled or worn pocket mop fabrics.

Another aspect of the present invention is the durable construction of the wing portions and the hinging means.

Still another aspect of the present invention is the novel manner in which the hinging means connects the aforementioned wings to permit ease of operation and durability while embodying a minimum number of parts.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide a pocketed mop holder which permits the replacing of soiled or worn mop fabrics with the minimum of time and effort.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved collapsible mop holder of durable construc tion, capable of withstanding frequent and long use under the most difficult of conditions.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a collapsible mop holder, of relatively simple manufacture and assembly, at low cost, which incorporates the aforementioned advantages.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mop holder constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective View of the mop holder shown in FIG. 1 in a collapsed position;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are partial top views of the mop holder shown in FIG. 1 showing the hinging means and a portion of the wings; and

FIG. 5 is a partial side view of the legs of the wings and the hinging means included in the mop holder shown in FIG. 1.

Referring in retail to the drawings, a mop holder con structed in accordance withthe present invention, is illustrated in FIG. 1 and includes a frame means indicated generally at 29. The frame means includes an upraised portion 22, adapted to receive a handle attaching apparatus of the type indicated generally at 24, which includes finger adjusting knobs 26 and 27 for varying the frictional resistance to pivoting of frame means 20, relative to handle 28, about longitudinal pivot 23 and lateral pivot 25.

A handle is indicated at 28 and mounted to the frame means at a threaded ferrule 29. g

The mop holder also includes a hinging means having two members 30 and 32.' Each member of the hinging means is provided with longitudinal slots 34 and 35,1ongitudinal holes 36 and 37, and transverse holes and 39. Members 30 and 32 include inwardly directed tubular portions integral with the longitudinally extending portion and in alignment with transverse holes 38 and 39.

The mop holder further includes two wings indicated generally .at and 42. g 4

mea re Patented Dec. 29, 1964 The wing 40 has legs indicated generally at 44 and 45. As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, legs 44 and 45 are removeably mounted in the longitudinal slots 34 and 35 and are provided with end portions 31 and 33 that are inturned and extended through the transverse holes 38 and 39. The end portions are joined by a connecting means at 46. Connecting means 46 is a tubular element which also functions as a stop, restricting the inward movement of hinging members 30 and 32.

It should be pointed out that the end portions 31 and 33 inturned through the transverse holes 38 and 39 form an angle of more than ninety degrees relative to the legs 44 and 45 to permit members 30 and 32 to yield inwardly without causing interference and binding be tween transverse holes 38 and 39 and their respective end portions 31 and 33.

The wing 42 has legs indicated generally at 48 and 49, mounted in the longitudinal holes 36 and 37 of the hinging means.

In operation, the normal assembly of a mop constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. The wings 40 and 42 are held in a rigid, substantially common plane.

When the user desires to change mop fabrics, legs 48 and 49 are squeezed together. This causes the hinging means to slide along the portion of the legs of wing 40 inturned through the transverse holes 38 and 39. At the same time, the portion of the legs of the wing 40 are removed from the longitudinal slots 34 and 35, which permits the Wing 42 to rotate downward about the inturned portions of the legs 44 and 45 as shown in FIG. 2.

Another mop fabric may then be easily replaced by inserting the wings 40 and 42 into the opposed pockets of a pocketed mop fabric and placing the mop holder on the floor. The user than applies downward pressure on the handle 28, to return the wing 42 to its original position and to permit the legs 44 and 45 to remount them selves in the longitudinal slots 34 and 35.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. 'A holder for a pocketed mop comprising a frame means adapted to be attached to a handle; including an elongated hinging means provided with longitudinal slots in the outer surfaces thereof and transverse holes communicating with said slots; a first wing having legs removeably mounted in said longitudinal slots of said hinging means, said legs having end portions inturned through said transverse holes of said hinging means, said hinging means being slideable and rotatable upon said inturned end portions; and a second resilient, inward yielding wing having legs connected to said hinging means, the application of lateral,.inward pressure on said legs of said second Wing serving to remove said legs of said first wing from said longitudinal slots allowing said second wing to be rotated about the inturned end portions of said first wing.

2. A holder for a pocketed mop comprising a frame means'adapted to be attached to a handle; including an elongated hinging means provided with longitudinal slots in the outer surfaces thereof and transverse holes communicating with said slots; a first wing having legs removeably mounted in said longitudinal slots, said legs having end portions inturned through said transverse holes, said hinging means being slideable and rotatable upon said inturned end portions, a' second resilient, inward yielding wing having legs connected to said hinging means, the application of lateral, inward pressure on said legs of said second wing serving to remove said legs of said first wing from sneasva ing said second wing to be rotated about the inturned end portions of said first wing; and a connector joining said inturned end portions of said first Wing. 1

f 3. A holder for a pocketed mop comprising-a frarn means adapted to be attached to a handle; including an elongated hinging means provided with longitudinal slots 7 in the outer surfaces thereof and transverse holes communicating with said slots; a first wing having legs removeably mounted in said longitudinal slots of said hinging means, said legs having end portions inturned through said transverse holes of said hinging means, at an angle of more than (90) ninety degrees relative to the leg portions of said first wing, said hinging means being slideable and rotatable upon said inturned end portions; and a second resilient, inward yielding wing having legs connected to said hinging means, the application of lateral,

inward pressure on said'legs of said second wing serving,

to remove said legs of said first wing from said longitudinal slots allowing said second wing to be rotated about thereof, a longitudinal hole, and a transverse hole communicating with said slot; a first Winghaving legs removeably mounted in said longitudinal slots of said hinging means said legs having an end portion inturned through a respective on of said transverse holes, said hinging means being slideable and rotatable upon said inturned end por-' tions; and a second resilient, inward yielding wing having legs each mounted in a respective one of said longitudinal holes of said hinging means, the application of lateral, inward pressure on said legs of said second wing serving to remove said legs of said first wing from said longitudinal slots allowing said second wing to be rotated about the inturned end portions of said first wing.

6. A holder for a pocketed mop comprising a frame means adapted to be-attached to a handle, including an said longitudinal'slots allowelongated hinging means having two members, each member provided with a longitudinal slot in the outer surface thereof, a longitudinal hole, and a transverse hole communicating'with said slot; a first wing having legs removeably mounted in said longitudinal slots of said'hinging means said legs having end portions inturned through a respective one of said transverse holes, said hinging means being slideable and rotatable uponsaid inturned end portions; a second resilient, inwardlyielding wing having legs each mounted in a respective one of said longitudinal holes of said hinging means, the application of lateral, inward pressure on said legs of said second wing serving to remove said legs of said first wing from said longitudinal slots allowing said second Wing to be'rotated about the 'inturned end portions of said first wing; and a connector' joining said inturned end portions of said firstwing. 7. A holder for a pocketed mop comprising a frame means adapted to be attached to a handle; including an,

elongated hinging means having two members, each member provided with a longitudinal slot in the outer surface thereof, a longitudinal hole/and a transverse hole with said slot; a first wing having legs removeably mounted in said longitudinal slots, said legs havingtend portions inturned through said transverse holes of said hinging means at an angleof morethanSO degrees'relative to the'leg portionsof said" first wing, said hing ing means 7 being slideable and rotatable upon saidinturned end portions; and a'second resilient, inward yielding Wing having legs each mounted in a respective one of said longitudinal holes of said hinging means, the application of lateraL'inward pressure on said legs of said second Wing serving to removesaid legs of said first Wing from said longitu inal slots allowing said second wing to be rotated about the inturned end portions of said first wing;

' 8. The holder described in claim 5 wherein said legs having. end portions inturned through transverse holes in said hinging means are set at an angleof more than (90) ninety degrees relative to the leg portionscf said first Wing; and'a connector joining said inturned end portions of saidfirst Wing. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,192,861" Burchell Mar; 5, 1940 j 2,310,011" Cave et al Feb, 2, 1943 2,638,616 Fatland May'l9, 19 53 

1. A HOLDER FOR A POCKETED MOP COMPRISING A FRAME MEANS ADAPTED TO BE ATTACHED TO A HANDLE; INCLUDING AN ELONGATED HINGING MEANS PROVIDED WITH LONGITUDINAL SLOTS IN THE OUTER SURFACES THEREOF AND TRANSVERSE HOLES COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SLOTS; A FIRST WING HAVING LEGS REMOVEABLY MOUNTED IN SAID LONGITUDINAL SLOTS OF SAID HINGING MEANS, SAID LEGS HAVING END PORTIONS INTURNED THROUGH SAID TRANSVERSE HOLES OF SAID HINGING MEANS, SAID HINGING MEANS BEING SLIDEABLE AND ROTATABLE UPON SAID INTURNED END PORTIONS; AND A SECOND RESILIENT, INWARD YIELDING WING HAVING LEGS CONNECTED TO SAID HINGING MEANS, THE APPLICATION OF LATERAL, INWARD PRESSURE ON SAID LEGS OF SAID SECOND WING SERVING TO REMOVE SAID LEGS OF SAID FIRST WING FROM SAID LONGITUDINAL SLOTS ALLOWING SAID SECOND WING TO BE ROTATED ABOUT THE INTURNED END PORTIONS OF SAID FIRST WING. 